Failed surgery for recurrent dislocations of the shoulder.

By careful dissection, the causative factors could be identified and repaired surgically in 38 previously failed procedures for recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder. A routine Bankart procedure was performed in 20 shoulders (in two of which a Connolly procedure was added), a Putti-Platt procedure in four, and capsulorrhaphies in four shoulders. Seven shoulders were treated with exercises with an excellent result in one and good results in four. It was most encouraging that in the patients followed from 2 to 13 years, only 5% have had recurrences.